Revelyn: 1st Chronicles - When the last arrow falls (33 page)

‘Look Rema,’ Serenna interrupted. We’ve been over this before; I think we have to accept it that you are. That you are the one of which the prophecy speaks. We can spend wasted hours trying to work it all out. Let’s accept that you are this archer and work from there. We are bound to find out in any case.’ Serenna’s practical approach found no argument with Rema, so he nodded and then continued.

‘Alright then, if I am then, this archer, according to the prophecy there is to be a battle, and it seems to be a big one. I’ve never been in anything like it. And so where does the army come from? You need an army for such a battle, and the archer... well me...I’m not alone, or at least that’s what I understand the prophecy to be saying.’

‘The
eagle’s eye
Rema, that’s what it says.’ Serenna held the parchment and read it aloud...

‘
Until the fighters muster, from eagle’s eye set forth...
’ They both looked at each other, and shook their heads.

‘Even the
Wisden
don’t understand that,’ said Rema slowly. Palid, the one I spoke to in the tavern said they had looked everywhere for some clue as to what that meant...the
eagle’s eye.
They have libraries to look through, books of old teachings and maps and they don’t know. So how do we find out?’

‘Speaking of maps,’ Serenna remembered something. Tyne gave me one for you to look at, that evening I had dinner with him...’ Their eyes meet awkwardly. There was so much Rema wanted to ask about that night, and yet he had promised not to inquire; she had pressed him hard on this.
Still it was hard not to think of it.
It was a frozen moment in time, each wondering what the other was thinking, before Serenna suddenly broke the spell and pulled the map from her bunk and laid it before them on the narrow floor. In silence they looked at it. It was a map of Revelyn, showing many features and well detailed. There was of course no
eagle’s eye
. They both knew it would be much harder than that.

Suddenly a face appeared at the door. Wormwood had returned.

‘Captain sent me to inquire of your wellbeing. Just a moment ago the whole ship jumped, twitched maybe... very strange it was. Captain Tyne can feel anything out of the ordinary, feels the boat through his feet he does.  No problems then. Good, well I’ll report back.’ And he was gone. Just an ugly head around the door frame, a rapid speech and then nothing. Once more they looked at each other perplexed by his strange behaviour.

‘That must have been the prophecy,’ whispered Serenna quietly. ‘I thought it was nothing really, but it was, even the Captain felt it; just the reading of it made something happen. Something special I think.’ She spoke in a quiet and contemplative awe.

‘Well at least that makes sense,’ said Rema in reply, ‘the
Wisden
said as much;
there is great power in the telling
he said, or something like that. I thought nothing of it at the time,  but perhaps we have some power in making the prophecy come true, if we make it known, if it is spoken, if people hear it.’ He sat and nodded his head as though having won a difficult argument with himself. Serenna considered this for a time. She was excited by the idea.

‘Perhaps we can.’ She said in a whisper as she thought more on the matter.

‘Perhaps what?’ Rema inquired.

‘Perhaps we can get others to read the prophecy, say it aloud, maybe that is the start of the army Rema. Maybe the ordinary people can be used to help. It’s clear that they are living miserably under this present ruler. In Ramos it is bad enough, and I have lived to see it these past years; each year more fear, more injustice, more grief. And out in the country it is far worse. Whole communities disbanded and land seized. Do you remember that burning town we saw on the river bank? It is happening all over the country, whilst corrupt officials steal from the poor and grow rich. I used to ask Jycob why, but he is such as sycophant, he will do anything to gain favour at the palace. It was one reason I stopped loving him...’ She halted realising that she lost the main thread of her thinking and had drifted into revealing more than she wanted, but Rema had to ask.

‘Did you ever love him Serenna? I can’t judge the man, for I never knew him, but why him? Why marry such a man? Was it love Serenna?’ She held up a hand.

‘Please Rema, I can’t answer those questions. Not at the moment. I am not even sure I
can
answer them. Not yet. Maybe not for a long time.’ They sat quietly and allowed the silence to grow and envelop them before Rema reached over and took her hand.

‘I’m sorry. You’ve just walked away from everything you had, then had to deal with Tyne. It’s been more than enough. I’m sorry.’ Serenna tossed her head and pulled her hand from his in an attempt to show that she was in control of her emotions, which was far from the truth, for his touch like that, so gentle and warm almost brought her undone.

‘Huh! I’ve told you Rema, I don’t regret a thing. And besides I feel excited by the future, whatever it brings. And don’t you see, a short time ago we were sitting here wondering about it all and now we feel better. I know I do. It’s like we’ve found this great ocean wave and it’s picked us up. What an adventure Rema.’ Her eyes shone and Rema was not sure if there were tears of sadness or laughter, or both, ready to erupt. He smiled at her.

‘Come on then, let’s go see what the intrepid Captain Tyne has planned for the day.’ They climbed the short stairway to the mid-deck and emerged into a bright sunshine and a strong wind from the south and west, almost over the stern. The ship was cutting through the sea like a knife, in a gentle but powerful manner. There were crew members all about, holding ropes, and silently waiting for orders.  High up in the rigging on the foremast, four sailors were preparing to release a final sail. Rema felt a tension in the air, and a palpable sense of expectation. He realised that something special was about to happen.

‘Over here you two, quick about it!’ Scion called from the starboard rail. He was genuinely excited. ‘You are about to witness why the great Captain Tyne is the legend he is.’ They went and stood with him as he explained.

‘You see the waves,’ Scion indicted the swells which the
Scoria
was chasing across the sea. They were large and powerful and faster than the ship, and as they passed by the vessel, she slumped a little in the depths between each crest, before slewing a little and losing steerage as the helmsman fought to keep her on course as she rode stern first up the front of the next chasing wave.

‘Tyne is sailing at an angle across the wave fronts,’ Scion gave a commentary. We can’t match the wave speed but every now and then a larger wave will pick us up and we surf for a distance, but eventually we fall off the back of the crest and wallow around waiting for our next ride. But Tyne knows how to get a boat this size onto the wave and stay there. He’s about to try. The crew know what to do, but it’s dangerous, for once we start to surf the rudder looses grip and if the helmsman isn’t careful we can slew around and broach.’

‘Well that sounds bad, whatever it means,’ Rema was fascinated but was unfamiliar with the term.

‘Broaching.. .sorry, we get pushed beam on and roll with the next wave lifting us.  Side on we can put the masts in the water and even capsize the vessel.’

‘Who’s afraid of a little capsize!’ Serenna spoke with an excitement in her voice, and Rema was reminded of the danger they both eagerly embraced in their youth in the high mountains around
The Safeness
. It was good to see her so alive once more. Unconsciously she gripped his arm and they stood together in anticipation.

‘Here we go, hold on now,’ Scion spoke with an edge in his voice which sent a shiver through both Rema and Serena.

Tyne gave an order as the
Scoria
commenced climbing, stern first towards the crest of a following wave which was at least half as big again as the normal sets. At his word relayed to them, the four sailors high up, let loose the final large sail which caught and filled in an instant. The power of that sail could be felt as an incredible shudder throughout the ship. At the very moment at which the
Scoria
was about to reach the crest, the helmsman put the helm hard over, enough so the ship swung until  she was now moving in the exact same direction as the waves, and in so doing this put the wind directly astern giving all the sails an increase in power. The acceleration could be felt through the deck which seemed to suddenly hum with life. And then the
Scoria
was surfing, sitting just in front of the crest of the large wave, and as Rema and Serenna watched, the wave fronts no longer went past. They were now travelling at the speed of the waves and it felt as close to flying as it was possible in a huge sea going vessel.

‘See Rema, what did I tell you! We’ve been picked up by a huge wave. The journey has begun! She gripped his arm and he let her, enjoying the closeness and living in the moment, for that was enough right then.

‘Riding a big wave indeed Serenna,’ he whispered silently in agreement, ‘and I wonder where it will end.’ He gently kissed the top of her head. She was completely unaware of his gesture, but Captain Lethyne Tyne saw, and swore quietly to himself, before turning back to his ship which was flying like it had never flown before. In fact he knew something was different, almost magical, for he’d had the
Scoria
surfing before, but not like this, not so the whole ship became a living creature, almost aware of what she were doing. He stood by the helmsman on the rear deck,
his
little kingdom,
his
small place from whence he ruled
his
ship and
his
crew, and he felt overcome with emotion.
What has happened?
he mused, for he was a man well-used to feeling the sea and the ship, sensing changes and moods through his feet and the sounds of timber creaking, and the straining of ropes and canvas . Not long before the ship had suddenly jumped and shuddered for no reason. He knew his ship and this was new, something he had never felt before; in fact so strange was it, that he’d sent Wormwood to check that his passengers were alright.  Things had been different since they had come aboard. Lethyne Tyne was wise in the ways of the sea, a master of his craft, and he realised that whatever had possessed his ship had something to do with his passengers, and in particular the man he had so quickly dismissed in his pursuit of the Lady Serenna.  Tyne scratched his rough and scaly chin in absent minded contemplation. ‘Perhaps I have misread you Rema Bowman,’ he whispered with a hiss.

‘What‘s that Captain?’ The helmsman was a hugely built man with enormous thighs, ideal for holding the wheel hard against the moving seas which demanded the rudder obey a different law.

‘Nothing Smig,’ Tyne was jolted back from his thoughts to focus once more on his ship, ‘keep her straight man, at this speed if we broach we’ll roll her and lose the masts at least.’

‘Not with me at the wheel sira,’ Smig was supremely confident and smiling broadly, ‘I can feel her talking to me through the wheel captain, she’ll not be broaching this day.’

The two seamen stood together as the
Scoria
roared on, travelling a little north of east with a steady wind over her stern and her bow carving out an enormous wave which already sported several porpoises that had suddenly appeared, to cavort in their own mysterious way, diving and jumping and effortlessly keeping pace with the ship. In that moment, Captain Lethyne Tyne had to admit that he had never felt better. In fact so good did he feel that he waved toward Serenna and Rema, inviting them to join him on the rear deck; it was an honour not easily bestowed, nor frequently given.

They were wary of him, this wild and unpredictable man, so quick to anger and rudeness, and yet he seemed so different. They climbed the dozen steps and stood respectfully to one side and looking forward over the bow were immediately impressed by the scene before them, one not readily visible from the lower mid-deck. The sea stretched endlessly away, wave crest upon crest, separated by deep and hidden valleys, unseen and coldly uninviting. The
Scoria
sat proudly on her wave; it was larger than the rest and yet it travelled in the endless procession at the same rate as all the others. Around them, every now and then, part of a wave crest would collapse in a roaring wall of foam, only to re-emerge once more as the energy from further along the wave transferred into the depleted section. It was as thought the sea were alive. The ship herself made a roaring sound which made any conversation difficult. Her bow wave continually waxed and waned but was never silent, and the wind in the rigging and enveloping the large canvas sails which flapped and pulled and slackened in a mighty untimed choreography, was almost deafening at times. But most extraordinary was the humming from the rudder directly beneath their feet, which made the wheel vibrate in the hands of Smig the helmsman so much that they were at times almost blurred. It was a most amazing thing, this surfing ship, and Rema and Serenna and possibly all the rest of the crew were transfixed into silent fascination.

The Captain said nothing. Finally Rema attempted to bridge the gap between them.

‘Wormwood says we are heading for an island called
Lavas
.’

Tyne looked over at Rema and their eyes meet seriously for the first time. Rema realised what he had begun to suspect, that the man was no fool, but he was right to be wary of him. In the same moment Lethyne Tyne also realised that his unwanted guest, whom he had so easily disregarded, was not to be taken lightly, for he had a certain presence about him which spoke of a deep and disciplined character who was not afraid of him.  He mentally offered a grudging acceptance.

‘Wormwood would be right. I am pleased that he has learned something of my ways.’ He spoke with a gentle sarcasm which was meant to encourage further conversation. Rema sensed this and welcomed the opportunity.

‘Scion explained what you did just then, getting this ship to surf like it is. I am not a sailor, as you will have noticed; my skills lie elsewhere; however I am greatly impressed by all this.’ Here Rema gestured around him, ‘can you maintain this, this surfing? It seems rather precarious.’